Not Just A Cat Chapter Seven
NOT JUST A CAT, CHAPTER SEVEN Two minutes past at least before the battle began. Seraphiniaph had to position herself correctly, glare at us for awhile, and even toss her fur back and forth. We became nervous, wondering when she was really going to attack. She attacked so fast that I didn't even realize it happened until I saw the ugly bruise on my leg. Sera had run past us and hit us along the way, giving us bruises and knocking us to the ground. I breathed faster as I stared at her, standing there, grinning at us with an evil look on her face. I didn't want to get up. I wanted to stay there on the ground and let myself get captured and taken away. I finally got up when I reminded myself, 'This is the cat that kidnapped Kahn. This is the cat that kidnapped that adorable animal of Trinity and Nicole's.' I got up, helping the Dragon Warrior and the other Dragon Sisters to their feet. The three of them had at least one scar or bruise on their bodies. It seemed that Sera was capable of scarring more than one enemy at a time. This was going to be a harder battle than I thought it would be. "You haven't given up yet?" Sera asked. "Oh, what a'' shame''. You want to die trying to get your kitty cat back?" She held up a paw. Silvery claws shot out of her hands and appeared to us, shining in the light of the moon. My breathing got faster and heavier. "Death it is, then," she said. I leaned in to my friends. "Guys, you get the henchmen, I've got Sera," I said. "You're sure you've got her?" Po asked. I nodded. "I can take her," I replied. The three of them nodded in reply and turned around to face Sera's warriors. "Ah, your friends have left you already?" Sera asked, her claws still out, shining against the moonlight. Just looking at them sent a cold shiver up my spine. "They're not leaving me, they're taking care of your henchmen," I replied blandly, an angry look on my face. "That sounds pretty'' familiar''," Sera replied, the evil grin still crossing her lips. "What do you mean?" I asked, keeping the angry look on my face. "Don't you remember the story that my father told you?" Seraphiniaph asked. "He told me that my mother left to go back to the palace and fight again. That resulted in her death. And I hated him for letting her go and fight." So that was the connection. That sounded a lot like my situation here. I told the three of them to go and fight. There's a little chance that they could die while they're fighting. If they do die, everyone will hate me for making them fight her henchmen. I heard the sounds of battle behind me, and I was tempted to turn around and help them. Sera must have saw it in my face, because she laughed at it. "Now you're tempted to help them," she said. She began closing in on me. "I'm right here, idiot. You turn around, I can send these beauties right through that thin back of yours." Right. She has claws. Gosh, I'm an idiot. I looked Sera in the eye. "How do you know that I'll die if you send those into by back?" I asked. "Oh, Kelsi Rider, these gorgeous claws of mine have killed a few people in the past," Sera explained, admiring her claws like they were some kind of jewel. They shone under the moonlight. They were long, at least two or three inches, and looked to be silver. I saw them shine with beauty, and I shivered. "I doubt that you will be able to keep from screaming in pain when I use them on you, young Kelsi Rider," Sera said, not taking her eyes off of her exquisite, long claws. "Everything I've ordered my henchmen to do to the villagers, everything I've done to people, everything I've ever thought to do… that is because of these.'' Beautiful'', aren't they?" I didn't nod in reply. I didn't want to. They were gorgeous, but they had killed a few, and anything that kills is the opposite of gorgeous, in my opinion. "Yes, I thought you would say yes," Sera said sarcastically. "Well, we shouldn't waste time talking, now should we?" She looked up at me. "It's time to battle. Are you ready?" "Why do you care that I'm ready?" I asked her. "Because you're my opponent," she replied, the evil grin still on her face. "I want to make sure my opponent is ready before attacking." "Weird thing to want," I replied, getting my signature fighting stance- fists out in front of me, eyes locked on my opponent. "Ready to lose, Phiniaph?" "Ah, Phiniaph," Sera said. "That's a new one." She got into a fighting stance and smiled at me. "I don't think I'm ready to lose yet," she said. "The only person I've ever lost to is my mother, the first time I ever sparred. I beat her the second time, and she was impressed beyond what she's ever seen in her life that impressed her. If I could beat the person who taught me everything I know about Kung Fu, then I can beat you, Rider." "Let's just see about that," I replied. "I defeated a'' goddess,'' Chauntella Mirar, goddess of hate... Have you ever done that, Phiniaph?" "Yes," Sera replied. I looked at her weirdly. "My mother, Shangari, was the goddess of joy, who had come down to this world in the form if a cat. She was never my grandmother's best friend's daughter. She was my grandmother's best friend's adopted daughter." My eyes widened. "Why didn't Kahn tell me?" I asked. "He never knew," Sera replied. "He had no clue. The only people that my mother told about her being a goddess were her adoptive mother and I." "I believe you, Sera, but how did she drown if a goddess is immortal?" I asked. "A deity is a spirit, technically, and she put herself in a cat's body," Sera explained. "When she drowned, her spirit went back to the afterlife." I nodded, understanding. "Alright, enough stalling," Sera said, getting back into a fighting stance. "Let the battle begin." We weren't fighting for long before we stopped. Sera was still going strong, and I began to get tired. I gave her a powerful kick, which made her swivel backwards, right over the water. She screamed at the very sight of the ocean, and regained balance. I smiled to myself. I had just found out Sera's weakness- water. I just had to find out a way to defeat Sera. All I had to do is push her into the water. We had begun fighting again, each of us trying to get Kahn, when a loud yell came from behind us. A scream. Sera stopped fighting and grinned, her lips full of evil. I gasped. It sounded like it came from… "Nicole!" I screamed. That was it. I turned around, without thinking. It was my instinct to turn around and help my friends when I heard them scream. Little did I know, someone was about to send their claws flying into my backside, attempting to end my life. Nicole was okay, she had just been knocked down. She jumped back up to continue fighting. All of a sudden, the three of my allies turned to me and gasped. "Kelsi, look out!" Po yelled. My eyes widened as I remembered that Sera was going to hurt me if I turned around and stopped facing her. I expected to exceed excruciating pain, to drop to the ground and stop breathing. But I didn't. Sera's henchmen stopped fighting my allies and ran to Sera, who was behind me. I turned around. I gasped in shock... Sera had her hand outstretched. One more inch and she would have killed me with those claws of hers. But she didn't. Gripping her hand, causing her to not hurt me in any sort of way with her nails was someone who I would have never expected in a million years. Kahn. Kahn had saved my life. Sera was looking at Kahn, her eyes full of confusion and wonder. Her mouth was in the shape of a perfect 'o'. "How did you- I thought that I- but…" she was at a loss for words. "I thought that I had you locked up, with my henchmen guarding you! How did you get out?!" "Let's just say that you need better henchmen, sweetheart," Kahn said to his daughter. "That boyfriend of yours, Jarube, he's not a very good fighter, is he?" "But- but I…" Sera was speechless. Suddenly, out of nowhere, five cats came running up to Sera. I recognized one of them as the cat that Po and I saw when I came back to the Jade Palace the night before the full moon. "My princess!" he exclaimed, grabbing Sera around the waist. "Please, forgive us; he was way too strong-" "Don't apologize if you know that I'm never going to forgive you for letting him go, Jarube!" Sera yelled in fury, pushing the cat to the ground. "How dare you five?! I chose my five strongest henchmen just to guard a single prisoner, and yet you let him escape!" "Sera, baby,'' please'' listen to me!" Jarube exclaimed. "Please!" Sera put her foot down on Jarube's chest, making him cough. "Never call me your 'baby' again," she said. "I was wrong in choosing you, out of every cat in India, for my lover." He gasped. "Do you mean we're-" "I never said anything like that," said Seraphiniaph replied, taking her foot off of his chest. "Now shut up and get off of the floor. You may have another chance to impress me later." Sera turned to her father. "Now, what do you want,'' father''?" she asked, saying the word 'father' in a disgusted tone of voice. "I want to talk to you, sweetheart," Kahn said to his daughter in a calm tone. I had never seen him acting this sweet. Why had he completely changed personalities? "I want you to leave here and go back to India." "Ha!" Sera laughed. "We're not leaving here until we get what we want. And what we want- what I'' want- is you. You didn't stop mother from leaving, you could have, and she died because of it!" "Leaving was her own choice," Kahn explained. "I didn't want her to leave us, but it was for a good cause." Sera stayed quiet. "But you could have stopped her," was all she could say. Then Sera did something unexpected. She kicked Kahn. "Feel that, Kahn! ''Pain! Less pain than I experienced when I heard of her death!" Sera exclaimed. "Realize that now, father!" "It's less pain than I experienced as well," Kahn said, rubbing at his hurt jaw. "I don't want to fight you, Seraphiniaph." "Neither do I," Sera replied. "But I can't help it. It's you we want, and to get you, we have to fight!" "You don't, Sera," replied Kahn. "You don't have to hurt me in any way. "So you'll just come with us then, and let yourself get kidnapped?" Sera asked, laughing. "I thought not!" It was then that the battle began. Sera lunged at Kahn, but Kahn blocked it. I could tell that Kahn didn't want to fight his own daughter, but I guessed that he felt as though he must, because of the kick he sent to Sera's face. It barely made a dent in her. She laughed. "Is that all you've got?" Sera exclaimed. Sera punched Kahn, causing him to lose his balance, and he swiveled backwards. Sera then kicked him, which sent him to the ground. The girls and I gasped and stepped forward, ready to help Kahn. Sera looked up at us. "You take another step further, he dies," she said. We immediately took a step backward, holding our breath, our hearts beating. Kahn jumped up, getting into a fighting position. "Ah, so you're really serious about this, are you'', 'father'''?" Sera asked. "Very well then. Jarube! My sword!" Jarube tossed Sera a sword, and Sera caught it by the handle. The sword had a black handle with a purple jewel encrusted in it. The blade was solid gold, and shimmered against the moonlight shining down onto Sera. Sera looked ready to win this battle. Kahn did not. I prayed that Kahn would win, and Sera would be taken to prison, along with her warrior cats. But the chances of that happening seemed almost completely unlikely...